England v USA, 12th June 2010

[Rook]

Our back line isn't mediocre. Cherundolo has looked great on the right in the England game and the three friendlys. Demerit has looked solid and Gooch was pretty good considering it was the first 90 min he has gotten since October. Boca wasn't his best today.

Our back line is good when healthy and match fit. Right now neither of our CBs are plus Bocanegra is banged up too. But they stepped it up nicely and if they play like that the rest of the Tourney we'll be OK.

 

[jdeezy]

I thought Findley was decent, not very strong...this isn't the MLS, grow up Son.

The US back 4 plus Clark was great except for one moment early in the match...

The game was there to win for both sides, so in that respect it's a bit disappointing. But keep the eye on the prize and everything will work out for both squads.

I gotta admit to, not all that long ago, believing findley had nothing to contribute to the team; like, ever.

But he's proven me wrong, he has a role to play for sure. I wouldn't say he had a great game, but I'm glad we have him in the mix as an option right now. And he'll probably only get better from this point.

Back 4 played well. Was great to see gooch coming back into form right in front of our eyes as the game went on. He was always going to be a huge factor for us, one way or another. Hats off to BB, we're all fortunate he had the guts & vision to stick w/ him like he has.

Still not completely sold on clark, think edu can bring everything he does & then some. But there's obviously a comfort level there playing w/ bradley jr & bob's been pretty good w/ his moves so tough to argue too much.

And, objectively, I think U.S. was the better team today all said & done. Not by a mile, but they deserved the result & very well could've taken all 3 points. Promising start, we'll take it.

 

[Nordecke]

Our back line is good when healthy and match fit. Right now neither of our CBs are plus Bocanegra is banged up too. But they stepped it up nicely and if they play like that the rest of the Tourney we'll be OK.

Boca had Hernia-Surgery prior to camp.. Gooch has'nt played a whole match since October.. DeMerit is half blind in one eye.. Dolo had a very tough season in Hanover trying to avoid relagation..

p.s. They all played well today I think..

 

[jdeezy]

I will have to disagree with you my man... USA's back line is pretty thin... i wouldn't rely on them too much.

that said, it is what it is. I am red-white-and blue through and through..... we'll get it done.

If by thin you mean sorely lacking in depth & quality alternatives, then yes absolutely. But when fit & healthy, our starting 4 have proven highly capable against some top sides. But the dropoff from that group to our reserves is pretty big. And not just individually, but collectively as a unit we just seem to lose so much at the back when we need to swap in a reserve (save possibly an in form spector on a good night; Dolo has been MASSIVE though of late).

Now we just need to make sure we keep our heads down & stay focused. We're still not good enough to take teams lightly or lose some edge & still pull out the wins. We need the same intensity each game. I hope we get it.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Fair play to USA, they did far better than I thought they would, especially in the first half, which I thought they edged. England came back into it in the second half but Tim and his defence defended the goal excellently.

As for England, I think they've been brought back down to earth. The fact that they couldn't stamp there authority on the US for a longer period of time in the game shows what they are lacking in terms of top level composure.

 

[Rook]

I've read a couple articles on Green in the past and he looks to be a good guy. Then I read this and felt really bad for him:

From guardian.co.uk MBM:

"Was there any English player who offered any support to Green after the goal or at halftime?" asks Peter Cederblad. "I didnt see any. All left him to swallow it. I thought it was still a team sport?" Now that you mention it, nobody had a word of comfort or criticism for him immediately after the goal or on the way off the pitch at half-time

Hanging around this group Baines couldn't go a week at the training ground in England without feeling homesick. Imagine having to have to spend a month with the sub-humans on that team in another hemisphere.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Oh and a great assist from everyone's favourite centre forward Big Emile Heskey.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

in his interview after the game he seems to have taken it in a way that suggests he won't fall apart due to it, he wasn't a gibbering wreck and could see that it was his mistake, but a ball that he would stop "999 times out of a thousand"

 

[chicoazul]

Loving the little Englishers denial to offer credit to the US on doing a job on them.

There's been some wonderful fumes on here, thanks for your contributions.

World Cup popcorn is ace, can we all agree England are [Poor language removed] now and just enjoy the soccer?

 

[Bundy]

I started off hoping the POMES would win but as the game went on I started hoping the Yanks would take it. I think they were the better team in the second half. Shrek was pretty much non existent. The Yank right back had a good game, can't remember his name.

 

[ijjysmith]

Loving the little Englishers denial to offer credit to the US on doing a job on them.

There's been some wonderful fumes on here, thanks for your contributions.

World Cup popcorn is ace, can we all agree England are [Poor language removed] now and just enjoy the soccer?

No mate. We can't admit that...yet.

 

[bourneblue]

Credit where credit is due the usa where good value for the point they got.
When robert 'the clown' green let another shot slip through his gloves he got lucky, it hit the post and went out.
Yet our pundits and commentators labled it a wonder save.
Fifa man of the match, step forward mr Tim Howard.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

The r/s are leading with "gerrard led but wasn't followed"

it was chelsea !!

 

[The Yank]

I started off hoping the POMES would win but as the game went on I started hoping the Yanks would take it. I think they were the better team in the second half. Shrek was pretty much non existent. The Yank right back had a good game, can't remember his name.

His name is Steve Cherondolo. He plays for Hannover 96 and I am so glad that he started over Spector. For me he was the best player on team USA.

It was a great game. Maybe it's time that people stop saying the US keeps getting lucky. I think we have proven that we can play against the best... and even England too

 

[chicoazul]

Alright lads, anyway we'll still win it as they started in 66 with a draw and James Cordon said its all going to be ok.

The most important thing now is that we get behind Greeno as he needs us and the rest of our heroes.

They'll be hurting today, more than any of us.

Get behind Greeno.